1) Will we see a return of the Ultimate Battlepacks this year? If so, can you share any information of what to expect? And how about a different Hoth Battlepack in the future that includes an Ion Cannon?

Hasbro: While we will not release specifics, the Hoth packs coming later this year will be bigger than the current Battle Packs, but not quite as large and pricey as the original Ultimate Battle Packs. So in general, you are hunting in the right area, although the Ion Cannon is still way too big for us to execute.

2) We are still waiting to see the release of the non-bearded Hoth Rebel Trooper. Will he make it onto the new Vintage style cards or are you holding on to release him in a battlepack? He would make a nice addition on a single card considering the 30th Anniversary of ESB.

Hasbro: He will be released in one of the new Battle Packs mentioned above, later this Fall. At some point we do not rule out a release on a Vintage card, but that would be far out in the future if we did.

I'm very excited about the news of two larger sized Hoth BPs. Hopefully the one pack will have several Troopers maybe even a Torynn Farr, Hoth Transport cart, Reikean computer console, and other Echo Base goodies. Very cool news indeed!

I was thinking the same thing, but I dunno - not quite as large or pricey? Weren't the UBPs $50-$60? Not sure how much they could cram in a box with an the new AT-ST to make it less expensive than those were.

Logged

Learn new skills at home that some consider to be.....unnatural. Easy repayment terms. 555-PLPTN

Yeah, what they implied there doesn't bode well for the Hoth AT-ST to be in a battlepack considering the price of the AT-ST last year coupled with the price and size of UBP's (which included the much smaller AT-ST). What I do think they're going to include is one will have the Hoth Turret... We asked a question here some time ago about whether or not we'd see the Hoth turret again, and Hasbro said they were looking at various ways to get the turret back out to collectors as they knew there was demand for it.

That, I believe, would be justification for a larger, but not quite UBP sized, battlepack.

Could the Hoth Empire BP set be one of the mentioned sets? That BP is pretty large for the standard BPs these days - whereas it's just four figures in BPs, we get 3 figures (Vader, 2 troopers), a gun turret, and a swoop bike. Hasbro would normally switch out the turret with one of the figures, but we're also getting a swoop and a rider.

Logged

"'Want to see a trick I learned at the Sith Temple? It's called "'Force Choke.'"

Could the Hoth Empire BP set be one of the mentioned sets? That BP is pretty large for the standard BPs these days - whereas it's just four figures in BPs, we get 3 figures (Vader, 2 troopers), a gun turret, and a swoop bike. Hasbro would normally switch out the turret with one of the figures, but we're also getting a swoop and a rider.

could be, but in the first post Hasbro references the price point of the UBP's saying it won't be as large and pricey. They could have just said that it was going to be in the regular BP line with the same pricepoint - but they didn't. I am thinking bigger in the $30-40 price range as an exclusive.

I think that one refers to the Speeder, Vader and Snowtrooper pack as it's bundled with the other basic BPs. These Larger Hoth BPs are a higher price point and sound like they will be an exclusive. Not confirmed to be an exclusive but I would bet money they are.

The only problem with that theory is that Hasbro has not yet said anything about the Hoth Assault set (Vader, Snowtrooper...) being an exclusive or higher priced. Maybe they will later, as this set is a little bigger than the standard BP format, or maybe they'll reveal it later.

Logged

"'Want to see a trick I learned at the Sith Temple? It's called "'Force Choke.'"

I got that target Hoth battle pack and it was a really cool deal. Even with a new At-St out now, that one was still 'ok' at the time since I didn't have one. Nice mix of new Snowies, one old one and hoth han and 'hoth cliffy' (oh, Mj Derlin - my bad). Though the old hoth trooper was 'ok' we need more new ones. I still have the cardboard set with the turret on a bookcase shelf. Since they won't make 'playsets', this will do for now.I'd actually love to get that Bespin Carbon Freezing Chamber, and since big H probbaly won't re-release it, guess it'll be an ebay thing.

Sounds promising. I could see the AT-ST set being roughly the size of the Endor AT-ST box that was at WalMart. As for the Turret set? I would imagine that Hasbro might be trying to get some mileage from the Hoth turret that was in the original Hoth Ultimate battle pack. That piece was awesome!

I'll be excited to see that turret again because I didn't buy the UBP and kind of kicked myself afterwards. Just didn't have the cash for them at the time. I don't know if I'll buy the AT-ST but the turret set is a definite possiblity.

E...

Logged

"I sell the drugs that keep you people from seeing dragons at night." - Gus "Psych"